Thread: which is the best mini excavator?

In the future I plan on getting out of landscaping and go into site work full time. I was wondering which is the best excavator is. The size would be around a JD 50D, a Cat 305, or any other machine in that weight class. I plan on using it for puting in pipes and drains, demoing, slopes and whatever else comes in my path.

Deere has a very small length cab, I know this as a fact as my Dad owns a Hitachi 27 and I hate that cab, good width, but no leg room, CAT and Komatsu have LOTS AND LOTS more room, and their seats are seroiusly butt worthy.
Bobcat is good too, but cheap quality.

__________________The amount of energy necessary to refute bullsh*t is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it

Do Not buy a Bobcat Mini Ex!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are valving problems that will screw you 7 days after the warranty is up. They are weak compared to just about everything else out there.

These threads are worthless. Sorry, but this has been hashed out over 100 times and if you buy a machine just because some else says it's the best, you might as well give up in the business before you get started.

These threads are worthless. Sorry, but this has been hashed out over 100 times and if you buy a machine just because some else says it's the best, you might as well give up in the business before you get started.

I would just demo the models and brands that meet the requirements for the types of jobs you plan to do with the machine, weights, digging depths, crowd forces, tail swing, etc. Make sure to have the demos from local dealers that have a reputation for good product support (look around at their shop, ask about what kind of parts inventory they carry, do they have many of the models that you plan on trying in inventory), and see if you can get some customer references. Good luck.